Tag: Sitecore

Sitecore Headless SXA – Create, apply and restrict a custom style to renderings

In this blog post I will show how to apply a custom style to a rendering.

Requirement-

I have a requirement to add extra spacing between the components.

There is already a indent-top style which provides this space (20px) but neesd 100px space.

And the same can see in Experience Editor-

Same can also see in css file in sxastarter project-

Create a custom style (indent-large-top)

Create custom style in Sitecore-

Create a new style (Indent Large Top) in Sitecore under Presentations => Styles ==> Spacing

/sitecore/content/scxmcloud/sxastarter/Presentation/Styles/Spacing

Provide the value of the Style-

Create a style in FE project with the same value-

There are various ways you should be able to do this. I am adding 5 times more space to the existing indent-top style.

_indent.scss

// $middle-margin is defined in _margins.scss
.indent-large-top {
  margin-top: calc($middle-margin * 5);
}

Apply a custom style to rendering

Select the component or container you want to apply style and choose option “Indent Large Top” in Spacing section

Now the space between the 2 component is increased and is 100px as per the requirement.

New style applied to container-

Apply style to specific renderings

As above when the style was created it was applied to all renderings.

If you want to restrict the style to be applied to only certain renderings you can do so by setting Allowed renderings field in new created Style item.

For “Indent Large Top” only SectionContainer will be able to see the new Spacing Style.

In Experience Editor you wont see the “Indent Large Top” for other renderings e.g.- for container rendering-

While for Section Container rendering the new style is available-

References-

https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/sxa/103/sitecore-experience-accelerator/add-a-style-for-a-rendering.html

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How to set background image using Next js in Sitecore XM Cloud

This is a very common scenario where a background image needs to be set to certain components. Banner’s on any page on your website is a very common place to have a background image.

This blog assumes you have setup the Foundation Head setup or have your own Nextjs project setup implemented using the Sitecore NextJS SDK.

Note: This is not specific to XM Cloud but for any Headless implementation

Foundation Head already has an example on setting the background image using params. In this blog post will explore how this works and where in Sitecore the image can be applied. Will see how this can applied using using OOTB _Background Image item.

To apply image background using rendering parameters to the container see this blog here

Applying background image using rendering field to the components

Background image can be applied to components inheriting the existing __Background Image item to the custom component template.

Create a template for your component. Here I am creating a Banner component-

Inherit _Background Image from /sitecore/templates/Foundation/Experience Accelerator/Presentation/_Background Image

_Background Image has “Background Image” and “Stretch mode” field.

Note that there is a space between the field names, although not recommended but this comes OOTB.

Create a “Banner” JSON Rendering and provide the “Parameters Template”, “Datasource Location” and “Datasource Template” as per your requirement and add this rendering to the “Available Renderings”

Create a Nextjs component in sxastarter project

Note below how the “Background Image” field is set. This is due to the same in field name. Not recommended but this is OOTB.

View this gist on GitHub

Experience Editor-

Add a container component in Main placeholder-

Add a newly created component (Banner) in Container placeholder-

Create or select associated content

Once the component is added you should see the button to Add Background Image ( ths is added when the template inherits from _Background Image template.

Select the Background Image and Save-

You should now able to see the background image to component-

Rendering Host-

Reference-

https://doc.sitecore.com/xmc/en/users/xm-cloud/add-a-background-image.html

XM CLoud Dev – How to set background image using rendering parameters

This is a very common scenario where a background image needs to be set to certain components. Banner’s on any page on your website is a very common place to have a background image.

Note: This is not specific to XM Cloud but for any Headless implementation

Foundation Head already has an example on setting the background image using params. In this blog post will explore how this works and where in Sitecore the image can be applied. Will see how this can applied using Rendering Parameters and using OOTB _Background Image item.

Applying background image using rendering parameters

Background image can be applied to container. If you are using Foundation Head repo you can find this component OOTB.

Thre Container rendering is at following lcoation in Sitecore –

/sitecore/layout/Renderings/Feature/JSS Experience Accelerator/Page Structure/Container

Note Other properties- IsRenderingsWithDynamicPlaceholders and IsRenderingsWithDynamicPlaceholders is set to true

Rendering parameter is located – /sitecore/templates/Feature/JSS Experience Accelerator/Page Structure/Rendering Parameters/Container

Rendering paramter template has the BackgroundImage field. The background image will be set based on the image selected in this field.

How the image is set in Head

Lets see background image set in nextjs (sxastarter) Container.tsx

// image string from the rendering parameters
 let backgroundImage = props.params.BackgroundImage as string;
  let backgroundStyle: { [key: string]: string } = {};
  console.log('backgroundImage1');
  console.log(backgroundImage);
  if (backgroundImage) {
    const prefix = `${sitecoreContext.pageState !== 'normal' ? '/sitecore/shell' : ''}/-/media/`;
    backgroundImage = `${backgroundImage?.match(BACKGROUND_REG_EXP)?.pop()?.replace(/-/gi, '')}`;
    backgroundStyle = {
      backgroundImage: `url('${prefix}${backgroundImage}')`,
    };
  }

  return (
    <div className={`component container-default ${styles}`} id={id ? id : undefined}>

// style applied to <div> having background image
      <div className="component-content" style={backgroundStyle}>
        <div className="row">
          <Placeholder name={phKey} rendering={props.rendering} />
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
};

Lets see this in working in experience editor and rendering host

In the experience editor main section add a container component.

Once the rendering is added, goto “Edit component properties” and add an background image

Now you are able to see the background image applied ot container and I have added RichText in containerto show the image in background-

Rendering Host displays the image in background-

Nested containers to apply differnt background image or component

If you add only one container the image will be applied to the main section.

To resolve this you can add a container within main container. add mutiple containers as per your requirements. To set the background image to specific container in this example contianer-2 select the parent(i.e. container) and set the image by Editing the Component properties

This should apply the different images for various other sections in the sampe page and since the Container rendering has IsRenderingsWithDynamicPlaceholders property set this should create a unique Id for each container.

Here for example container-2 and container-3 is a child of container-1

Rendering Host displays banckgroung images with there respective components-

Isusue- Here you can see there is a white patch when applied to child container and the image is applied to inner div.

To resolev this apply the image to the outer div instead in container.tsx

return (
    <div className={`component container-default ${styles}`} style={backgroundStyle} id={id ? id : undefined}> // backgroundStyle added
      <div className="component-content"> // backgroundStyle removed
        <div className="row">
          <Placeholder name={phKey} rendering={props.rendering} />
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  );

Here you can seee a full width background image

Hope these tips helps.

Sitecore CDP- Generate browser ID

The browser ID is a universally unique identifier (UUID) that Sitecore CDP assigns to every user of your application. It associates sessions, events, and orders with the respective user.

To generate browser id at server side in this case using postman use following URL-

https://{{apiEndpoint}}/{{apiVersion}}/browser/create.json?client_key={{CLIENT_KEY}}&message={}

API Endpoint

{{apiEndpoint}} – API target endpoint depends on the region client key is available in. Following are the regions and url available at the point of writing this blog and as per this document

Europe – https://api.boxever.com

Asia Pacific – https://api-ap-southeast-2-production.boxever.com

United States – https://api-us.boxever.com

See here for more details on the Sitecore CDP Rest API

API Version

API Version is v1.2

Client Key

See here for more details on How to get Client Key and API Token

Get the client key from the Sandbox/CDP & Personalise portal.

Login to portal – https://app.boxever.com/#/

Top right click the clog icon. Select API Access option

Get teh client key from this page-

Request/Response-

Status- OK. The request was served successfuly

Anantmous(Guest) should be created. Browser ID is in “ref” field in the response

Check the guest details in portal with the Browser ID-

Goto the Guests page –

Search guests with browser id. (bid: <<browser id>>)

This should the Guest Type as Visitor which means its Anonymous and not yet known or uniquely identified.

CURL code snippet-

curl --location -g --request GET 'https://api.boxever.com/v1.2/browser/create.json?client_key=<<client key>>&message={}'

C# code snippet-

var client = new RestClient("https://api.boxever.com/v1.2/browser/create.json?client_key=<<client key>>&message={}");
client.Timeout = -1;
var request = new RestRequest(Method.GET);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
Console.WriteLine(response.Content);

Python code snippet-

import http.client

conn = http.client.HTTPSConnection("api.boxever.com")
payload = ''
headers = {}
conn.request("GET", "/v1.2/browser/create.json?client_key=<<code key>>&message=%7B%7D", payload, headers)
res = conn.getresponse()
data = res.read()
print(data.decode("utf-8"))

References

Preparing to integrate with Sitecore CDP

Understanding integration details

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XM Cloud local environment – Access Sitecore database hosted in Docker

This blog provides details on accessing local Sitecore instance Database hosted on Docker.

If you wish to backup or share Sitecore Database you can connect to Sitecore DB.

Install Sitecore local instance, see th blog post here and run the docker containers for Sitecore.

In .env file see the SQL connection details-

Check the docker container for the DB port.

You may also see the Connection String in CM container-

  • Sitecore_ConnectionStrings_Security
  • Sitecore_ConnectionStrings_Core
  • Sitecore_ConnectionStrings_Master
  • Sitecore_ConnectionStrings_Web

From your local installed SQL server connect to docker hosted DB-

You should not able to see the DB’s configured to support Sitecore XM Cloud local instance-

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XM Cloud local environment – Setup a JSS application – sxastarter for Headless SXA site

In this blog we will create a Headless SXA Site in local instance, setup and resolve any errors while running the rendering app (sxastarter)

We will create a Headless SXA site in Sitecore local instance and then setup the FE application.

With the local Sitecore instance(CM) you should also see the rendering host is configured i.e. https://www.sxastarter.localhost/

While seting up the local instance we haven’t made any changes to docker compose or override files nor to the .env files manually, although while initalizing the app certian key values were updated in .env file.

Check the sxastarter rendering host- https://www.sxastarter.localhost/

At this point you might see the error since we haven;t created a sxastarter app in Sitecore.

This is because the no Site Collection or Headless Site exists in Sitecore. Lets create a Headless Tenant and Site.

2 . Create a Healdess Tenant and Site

In your Sitecore instance create a Healdess Site Collection, you may create a folder Site Collection Folder if required-

Next provide the Site collection name, in this case scxmcloud and select the required modules-

You should see the Site collection created along with the required templates in Project/scxmcloud folder.

Setup should create folders and required items in following location. Note this as this is required whilst setting the item sync using Sitecore SCS (Sitecore Content Serialization)

Layout Placeholder Settings- /sitecore/layout/Placeholder Settings/Project/scxmcloud

Layout Renderings – /sitecore/layout/Renderings/Project/scxmcloud

Media Library – /sitecore/media library/Project/scxmcloud

Templates – /sitecore/templates/Project/scxmcloud

Create a Headless SXA Site

Create headless site under site collection-

Provide the name of the site- sxastarter.

You may choose another name but ensure the package.json file is updated accordingly.

Select the modules- Note I selected the basic site module. This should add sample items to home page along with About page. You may choose not to select the basic site module.

Enter the deployment secret created whilst setting up the JSS app

Site should now be created-

Site without Basic Site module-

Keep the Site Settings as is-

sxastarter site is created along with this the choosen mdoules are installed.

Once this is done ensure the app name in Settings is same as in package.config-

Open the experience editor and you should see the blank page-

Lets add the Title component and images to see if the changes are reflecting in Experience Editor and FE.

Visit the https://www.sxastarter.localhost/ and the images are not loading

This is due to the local instance has relative media url for local instance.

Solution-

Patch the local instance to include – IncludeServerUrlInMediaUrls

<configuration xmlns:patch="http://www.sitecore.net/xmlconfig/" xmlns:set="http://www.sitecore.net/xmlconfig/set/" xmlns:env="http://www.sitecore.net/xmlconfig/env/">
  <sitecore>
    <layoutService env:require="Development">
      <configurations>
        <config name="sxa-jss">
          <rendering>
            <renderingContentsResolver>
              <IncludeServerUrlInMediaUrls>false</IncludeServerUrlInMediaUrls>
            </renderingContentsResolver>
          </rendering>
        </config>
      </configurations>
    </layoutService>
  </sitecore>
</configuration>

I did this in VS, Platform project. Added the config file in App_Config/Include/Feature named z.Plaform.Feature.IncludeServerUrlInMediaUrls.config

Publish the project and this file should be then deployed to CM container.

Now this should display the images-

Testing GraphQL IDE for local environment

Try the graphql ide here on your local instance –

https://xmcloudcm.localhost/sitecore/api/graph/edge/ide

And the request for same should be sent to –

https://xmcloudcm.localhost/api/graphql/v1

We now have site ready to start developing components.

The newly added title in header, images should also be displayed-

This conculdes setting up the local environment with having Sitecore CM instance and the jss app (FE) running in docker. JSS app is runing in container.

In next blog post we will how to setup the FE without having Sitecore local instance and connect to XM Cloud.

But before that we need to setup the XM Cloud project and environments, for that we will configure the Sietcore Content Serilization to push the changes made in local to XM Cloud. Coming in next blog.

Errors-

sxastarter site hosted in docker throws below error.

Solution

See the resolution for this error here

https://sitecore.stackexchange.com/questions/35307/sitecore-xm-cloud-local-setup-error-with-node-js

I updated the rendering Dockerfile –> Entrypoint to clean and install the npm

npm ci && npm run start:connected

This should resolve the issue. Hope this helps.

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Secure Sitecore Webhooks using Microsoft Azure AD B2C

Few months back I was trying to Authorize Sietcore Webhooks using Microsoft Actice Directory B2C and found issue that it wasn’t working.

After creating a support ticket, Sitecore logged this as a bug.

This was resolved and release on 20th Feb 2024.

This blog helps on how to configure MS AD B2C and configure in Sitecore as Client Credential grant to generate an access token so the Event receiver can authorize and process the request.

Note- text highlighted in red is required later to configure in Sitecore.

Reference-

https://doc.sitecore.com/xp/en/developers/103/sitecore-experience-manager/webhook-authentication-types.html

https://developers.sitecore.com/changelog/xm-cloud/1.5.69-base-image-update%3a-resolved-issues

Pre-requisite

You should have your Azure AD B2c tenant. See this link on how to set this – Tutorial – Create an Azure Active Directory B2C tenant | Microsoft Learn

Once configured you see the options to register your app.

Before registering app note down the highlighted. This should be available as the part of Endpoint-

This is Authority URL in Sitecore Webhook.

Step 1 – Register App

Click on New registration

Provide the App registration name and selected supported account types. In this case I have given name – SCXMCWebhook and selected “Accounts in this organizational directory only (SC XM Org only – Single tenant)

Register App and it should show the registered app-

It should also list your newly created app-

Step 2 – Add an Application URI

Click on Application ID URI “Add”link and then “Add a scope”

This should create a URI –

Step 3 – Add a scope

Now create a scope “Add a scope”. Enter scope name, admin consent and description. Ensure you enable the scope.

A new scope isadded . Copy the scope as highlighted –

Step 4 – Create Secrets

Navigate to Overview tab and you should see all the configured details.

Step 5 – Create a Client Credential Grant Authorization in Sitecore

Sitecore Client CredentialMicrosoft AD B2C
Authority URL Microsoft Entra ID OpenID Connect
metadata document. (Check Endpoints)
Client IDApplication (client) ID
(Check Overview tab)
Client SecretClient Secret Value
(Check Certificates & Secrets tab)
Scope
(Append /.default)
Application ID URI
(Check Overview tab)
Header Prefix
(Bearer)
Additional Endpoint Base Addresses
(See Semicolon seperated values below)
Directory (tenant) ID
(Part of the url- Check Overview tab)
e.g.:- 10d**************1b4c

Additional Endpoint Base Addresses

https://login.microsoftonline.com/10d**************1b4c/discovery/v2.0/keys
https://login.microsoftonline.com/110d**************1b4c/oauth2/v2.0/token
https://graph.microsoft.com/oidc/userinfo
https://login.microsoftonline.com/10d**************1b4c/oauth2/v2.0/authorize
https://login.microsoftonline.com/10d**************1b4c/oauth2/v2.0/devicecode
https://login.microsoftonline.com/10d**************1b4c/oauth2/v2.0/logout
https://login.microsoftonline.com/10d**************1b4c/kerberos

Client Credential Grant Authorization Item should look like this-

Please note Additional Endpoint Base Address are Semicolon seperated.

Step 6 – Create a Webhook Handler in Sitecore

Create Webhook handler at this location- /sitecore/system/Webhooks/

Provide the Description, Select the events the webhook should trigger, Add any rules as per your requirements, Ensure to Enable the Webhook, provide the Url the webhook should send the item data, select the newly created Authorization and Selrialization type (JSON).

Step 7 – Save an Item in Sitecore

Update an Item, in this case I updated Home item

You should see the webhook sends the request to defined Url with Access Token, as highlighted below-

Hope this helps to cionfigure MS AD B2C in your Sitecore instance

More reads-

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XM Cloud Dev Error: Hydration failed – while using XMC with Nextjs

Recently, I started receiving error-

Unhandled Runtime Error

Error: Hydration failed because the initial UI does not match what was rendered on the server.

This error was specifically while using RichText field.

Resolution-

Hyderation is when React converts the pre-rendered HTML from the server into fullly interactive application by attaching event handlers.

The common casue of this issue is incorrect nesting of HTML tags.

RichText is wrapped in div tag and received this error when the RichText was wrapped in <p> tag

Example where React throws error-

Incorrect way of wrapping RichText-
<p className="page-desc text-white mb-0"> 
   <RichText field={props.fields.Description} />
</p>

Remove the <p> tag or wrap RichText in <div> tag

Correct way-
<RichText className="page-desc text-white mb-0" field={props.fields.Description} />

Remvoing <p> might removing spacing between fields/components, this needs to be adjusted using CSS.

Reference-

https://nextjs.org/docs/messages/react-hydration-error

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XM Cloud local environment – Setup local development instance

This blog post will guide you through the local environment setup for XM Cloud. You may refer this documentation to do this your own way. Althoug the documentation covers most of the setup, this blog post provides visual on the steps and errors with the resolution.

https://doc.sitecore.com/xmc/en/developers/xm-cloud/walkthrough–setting-up-your-full-stack-xm-cloud-local-development-environment.html

Once the Foundation Head from Sitecore Labs is forked s(se more details here) clone the copy to the local machine for creating a local instance required for XM Cloud development.

Pre-requisite

You can find the pre-requisite in this documentation. Ensure your machine has this before setting the local development environment. Just noting down here-

https://doc.sitecore.com/xmc/en/developers/xm-cloud/walkthrough–setting-up-your-full-stack-xm-cloud-local-development-environment.html

Also make sure you are using Docker v.2, as explained here.

Access to XM Cloud – This blog post assumes you have admin access to XM Cloud where you should be able to craete/update/delete projects environments and deployment in your organisation.

I have this ready on my machine.

1. Clone the forked Foundation head repo.

I named the folder same as the repo on my local machine i.e. xmcloud-foundation-head. the same will be refered thoruhg this post.

Will see the following folder structure after cloned.

I use Visual Studio Code to make any environment related changes. You may use either Visual Studio 2022 or your choice of editor.

2. Open the .env at the root folder and you will see REPORTING_API_KEY, TELERIK_ENCRYPTION_KEY etc. empty.

3. Start the containers.

Prepare the environment

Before doing so make sure you stop the IIS and check if the port 443 (IIS Website) and 8984 (Solr service)is not used and the docker is running in Windows Containers mode. If not switch to Windows cotainers.

iisreset /stop
Get-Process -Id (Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 443).OwningProcess
Get-Process -Id (Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 8984).OwningProcess

Stop-Service -Name "<the name of your service>"

Copy the license file to c:\license folder. If you wish to have this in other folder you also have to change the HOST_LICENSE_FOLDER in .env(root folder) with the path where the license resides.

To prepare the Sitecore container environment, run the script init.ps1 from the root directory of the project along with the license path and desired passowrd for your instance. this form the root folder from the downloaded the repo.

.\init.ps1 -InitEnv -LicenseXmlPath "C:\license\license.xml" -AdminPassword "b"

Required certificates added.

You may also noticed .env in root folder have added values in REPORTING_API_KEY, TELERIK_ENCRYPTION_KEY and MEDIA_REQUEST_PROTECTION_SHARED_SECRET, which was earlier empty.

Download the Sitecore Docker images, install and configure the containers and client application

Run the up.ps1 to download and install containers and client application

.\up.ps1

This is should download the images and start the containers

Once the containers are started, it should ask to confirm to login to Sitecore with the Device confirmation code. Confirm if this matches. It should also ask to login to XM Cloud isntance and confirm.

One this is done indexes will be rebuilt and the Sitecore instance should be up and running.

Also notice that any items in this case none is pushed to Sitecore instance and an api key is genereated with the name xmcloudpreview-

You may also notice a jss editing secret and SITECORE_API_KEY_xmcloudpreview are updated in .env fiel in root folder along with the Sitecore Admin password which was set whilst initialising the environment.

Your local instance should now be up and running-

https://xmcloudcm.localhost/sitecore/

The highlighted key shoulld match the key while spinning up the containers.

Taking down the containers

To take down the containers run the down.ps1 from the root folder.

.\down.ps1

Errors

Invoke-RestMethod : Unable to connect to the remote server

This should be ideally staright forward but if you see any issues whilst getting CM instance up and runing. take down the container with down.ps1 command and delete any docker network.

docker network prune

Hope this helps to setup local Sitecore instance for XM Cloud development.

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Automation with Sitecore XM Cloud Webhooks and Zapier

With Zapier you can inspect and create customised workflow in munites without wirting any code. Its a good way to automate any actions required once the webhooks in Sitecore are triggered.

In this blog post will quickly create a workflow in Zapier to send mail when a webhook event is trigerred.

Will take a scenario when a Home page is updated, so that the concern team knows about this change.

This is not a fully customised solution but you can extend this as per your requirements.

Create a Zapier account

Create a Zapier account if you don’t have already. There is free subscription available to try out.

Login to Zapier and create a new Zap

Configure a trigger- Select Webhook by Zappier

When a new zap is created select a Catch Hook event in App & Event section

In the test section it should provide the URL its listening to execute any autmation if applicable.

Test the trigger by copying the s URL and setup the same in your Webhokk Handler in Sitecore XM CLoud or local instance. See this blog post on how to create a webhook handler.

Update content in Home page and Save. This should triggere the webhook and call the Zapier endpoint configured in handler.

Test trigger and should see the request available to this endpoint-

Continue with Selected Record if you are happy with the request-

Apply Filter

We want to send mail only when Home page is changed, so lets apply filter

Configure the filter

Add the condition

Further action will be taken only if Item name is Home. This just an example you can select the list of action available.

Continue and select next action and in this case I selected to send a mail to Gmail

Select the event “Send Mail”

Setup your account.

Setup the action to whom the mail should be sent and other information required for the mail

Continue and Test the Step

Now you should have the Zap configured-

Publish the Zap

Change the name of the Zap and should be available in Dashboard-

Change a home page content in Sitecore XM Cloud-

In the Zap runs you should be able to see a mail is triggered-

Thats it. This took me few minutes to configure and test the mail for a simple sceanrio.

Zapier gives you full flexibility to configure the triggers without writing any code based on the conditions to tak action when a Webhook event is triggered in Sitecore XM Cloud.

Hope this helps.

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